Events for November

Lucy's Books Presents native Astorian Christopher Lord reading from his new Cozy Mystery book

The Christmas Carol Murders on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. at Lucy's Books. Complimentary refreshments served.

There is something afoot in Dickens Junction, Oregon. Local bookstore owner Simon Alastair is getting ready for the community's annual celebration of Charles Dickens's well known story. But a stranger shows up and is murdered. Simon and Zach, a dashing magazine reporter, begin to investigate. Then another murder follows. Is Dickens Junction safe? Is the murderer from the community? Or is there a shadowy organization behind this?

Then...

Lucy's Books presents Robert Michael Pyle reading from his new book of essays The Tangled Bank: Writings from Orion on Thursday, November 15, at KALA, 1017 Marine Drive, Astoria. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.  There is a $6.00 cover charge. Complimentary refreshments will be served.

Robert's essays convey an exuberant sense of what it feels like to encounter the greater-than-human world with senses alert and mind engaged. Robert Michael Pyle is curious and knowledgeable about all manner of living things from butterflies to bats, from bio-luminescent plankton to the yeast in beer.

October and November

The sky is gray and the rain is falling.  How appropriate for October in Astoria.  We've needed the rain, although the stretch of sunshine we had was nice, especially for those who need sunshine in their days to stave off depression.  But the rain is here.  The days are getting darker earlier and it is time to cozy up to a good book or two or more!

What has been selling like hotcakes... and I'm sure you will not believe this (tongue in cheek here):

Fiction:
The Fifty Shades Series:  Fifty Shades of Gray, Fifty Shades Darker, and Fifty Shades Freed.

Then there's

The Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, now that it has been made into a movie, is a hot item. It is a great story, though.

The Shopkeeper by James D. Best- a western...

Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon.  This is his latest book.

Now in paperback, Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore.  A murder tale with Henri Toulouse- Lautrec and Lucien Lessard trying to solve van Gogh's untimely death. Baing an artist, this book strikes a particular interest.

Fantasy/Sci-fi

The Game of Thrones series. Always a seller.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.  Several customers loved this one.
What Lies Beneath The Clocktower by Margaret Killjoy.  This book reminds me of Steampunk.

 Non-Fiction

The Tangled Bank: Writings by Orion by regional author Robert Pyle. These are essays on nature and this is his latest book.
Days of Revolt by Chris Hedges
Feathers by Thor Hanson
An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski.  This is a true biography/autobiography about a sales executive and an eleven year old panhandlers relationship.
No Easy Day by Mark Owen.  This is the Navy Seal's account of the Bin Laden assassination.

Young Readers and Children's Books

Larry Gets Lost in Portland by Michael Mullin and John Skewes.  A funny tale and recognizable locations in Portland.
The next in the Wildwood Series: Under Wildwood by Colin Meloy.
I Want My Hat Back author Jon Klassen's book This Is Not My Hat a great tale that addresses stealing.

So many more books I haven't mentioned but time is a factor here.

Calendar of Events for November:

Saturday November 3, 1:00 p.m. Christopher Lord, a native Astorian living in Portland, has written The Christmas Carol Murders. The story starts in Dickens Junction, Oregon. Simon Alastair is the local bookstore owner getting ready for the community's annual Charles Dickens reading. But suddenly there is a murder in the town. Simon and Zach, a young magazine reporter, try to solve the mystery. This book is the first of a series with the atmosphere of Agatha Christie puzzles, a touch of Charlotte MacLeod, a hint of Oscar Wilde humor, and the spirit of Charles Dickens. This event will take place at Lucy's Books.

Thursday November 15, 7:00 p.m. local writer Robert Pyle will read from his new book The Tangled Banks: Writings from Orion.
The location of the reading TBA later, as I am working on this. Robert brings in a crowd. More later.

Here's what's happening when shopping at Lucy's Books after Thanksgiving...
Beginning Nov. 23rd through Dec. 21, we will be open til 7 p.m. on Fridays, and here's the deal offered: 
20% off the lowest priced book when you buy three, includes special orders.
 
 

A Treat of an Evening for All

Lucy's Presents an evening of Trick and Treat with Portland native author Lisamarie Jelderks.

The treat: The Willamette Saloon Haunting is her new book introducing Tuesday Brousseau who runs away from her past and hopes Hurricane Katrina will cover her tracks. She revisits her past in Portland and the old Willamette Saloon. Does trouble await her here?

 Come and find out on

 Tuesday, October 9th

 7:00 p.m. at Lucy's Books. 

Oh, and the trick? Remember to bring a flashlight and $3.00 (proceeds will go to the Assistance League) for a field trip that is sure to be an experience to remember.We will be going underground...

AND a special thanks to Dulcye and her store, Old Town Framing Company, for collaborating with Lucy's Books on this event.

Reading in Tokeland, Washington

Hello Readers,

Lucy's Books, or at least the new owner, is trying something different for the next reading...

We will be supplying the books for a reading by Garth Stein, author of
The Art of Racing in the Rain,

who will be in TOKELAND, WASHINGTON (about an hour and a half from Astoria area) on

September 21, at 4 p.m. at the Shoalwater Bay Tribal Community Library.  If you have a hankering for a little fall drive, come to the event.  I'll be there along with hubby Mark and Helga, our mini dachshund (her little nose would be bent out of shape if she didn't get to go). The event promises to be exciting, I'm sure.

TONIGHT SEPTEMBER 7th

Tonight will be the reading by poet Carlos Reyes.

 He lives in Portland and has traveled afar to collect his lyrically and transcending ideas for writing.  All are welcome.  Wine and snacks will be served.

At:  Lucy's Books
       348 12th Street
       Astoria, OR     503.325.4210

August/ September

Well, this summer has flown by for Lucy's Books.  It seems like yesterday was June and here it is the middle of August.

First, I have to correct the date of Brie Mathew's gathering.  It still is going to be at the same place, but the date is September 8th, which is a Saturday, at 6:00p.m.  I apologize for the mistake.  And like stated before, guests are welcome to bring a potluck dish or even libations.  The gathering will be informal so just come as you are. 

Japan. In June we traveled to Osaka for our son's wedding, which was beautiful.  Elegant, actually.  The ceremony was said in Japanese so our family just enjoyed the serenity of the moment. Andrew was so handsome and Ai was lovely. There were no bridesmaids or grooms even though the wedding was "western style". Our daughter, Nicole, and son, Sam attended.  The whole time was like a huge family reunion for both sides.  Ai's two sisters were delightful.  I have to say that I adore Ai, her mother, and extended families. Everyone was very friendly AND polite. Big brother Sam gave a toast to the newly weds, which turned out to be touching.  There was music and kind of like an M.C. talking the entire time we ate, when they cut the cake, and clear to the end of the event.  Again, all was in Japanese so I don't know what was said. I am thinking stories about Andrew and Ai, however, I forgot to ask Andrew!  The bride and groom put together a video starting with her baby pictures till current, as did Andrew.  Tears flowed.  The event ended with Mark, my husband, giving a thank you to everyone who attended, in Japanese. Andrew coached him for a couple days.

 Siyoko, Ai's mother, cooked some wonderful tempura meats, fish, chicken, and vegetables. I tried squid and octopus for the very first time. It was very good, not that I'll order cephalpods anytime soon.  We ate at a Korean BBQ restaurant, all you can eat for two hours, which had delightful dishes and meats.  Very tender-cut beef, seasoned and plain, that were brought to your table raw.  In the center of the table was a small round BBQ set in the table, vents around the sides, and you cooked your own veggies and meats.  You could also order salads, rice dishes and desserts- as much as you could eat.  So, while enjoying a particular salad, I asked Ai what the crunchy bits were in the salad. I now can add jellyfish to my cephalopod tasting list.

So thinking that I'd lose a few pounds like I did the last time we were in Japan, I was mistaken.  Food seemed to be the focus of this whole trip, but I wouldn't change a single thing about about our visit!

Books.  Amazon is really trying to get every small business owner's dime.  Yes, you might be able to find that new book sooner, and marked down a few dollars, but you don't get the customer service like you do at small book stores. Same thing goes with other small stores.  Box stores are coming in our area and I just hope that the town of Astoria can stay in business.  Enough about my pontificating, let's get down to BOOKS.

Fiction:  Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern- Now that I have read this, I have to say I was impressed with how this young woman wove the story.  Even though it is a bit surreal and fantastical, it had a thread of reality woven through it, plus she kept the time period true.  If you have ever seen anything or read about steampunk, this sort of impression floated around in my mind.  Good read.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender, is a story about a young girl who can taste her mother's emotions in every slice of her mom's home-made lemon-chocolate cake. Intriguing, right?  Can you imagine someone knowing your deepest kept secrets?

Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus- this book is for young readers and is a Newberry Honor Book.
I myself enjoy reading these books, when there is time, and this book is on my list.  It is an adventure that five friends take on, based on true events, and the author was praised for doing her research.

A customer came in and gave me a few titles of books that she had read to 6th and 7th grade boys. She said they enjoyed the books immensely.  And I have to say,one is a bit ooky (yes ooky not spooky). It is about famous deaths.  Marie Curie, Edgar Allen Poe, and more.  The title is  How They Croaked by Georgia Bragg.

Non-fiction:  Handmade to Sell by Kelly Rand is about how to market the art you make.  I have looked through it, even ordered one for myself.  The information given is for those who are thinking about selling their goods, but don't know the first step.

Well, enough for now.  I have been very winded this time. Have a great rest of the summer and a great beginning of fall.  I'll be posting my calendar of events soon-ish, so keep an eye out for it.

My Error

I have a typo in the e-mail address for Kristi Athen. Please note that it is www.getyourpitchforkon.com.

July/ August

Summer is upon us and as July is here many around the country are getting ready for the Fourth of July. And so am I. My husband, as I write this,is driving back from Colorado with our grandchildren: nine year old Warren and soon to be seven years old Dustin. We will take them to see the fireworks, swimming at our beautiful aquatic center here in Astoria, to the many parks around town, to the movies, and have them go up and down the Column five times to wear them out! But seriously, I am looking forward to spending time with them. I have chosen several books from the store to read to the boys: one of them is

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

by Brian Selznick. Have you seen this book? It is a work of art! The book design itself is fabulous but the drawings add such a richness to the story. Then I chose a couple of Dr. Seuss books, and a few chapter books that hopefully Warren will enjoy. He is a voracious reader. Dustin is working on getting up to speed so I picked a few books that he can read to us. As for me, I am reading some of Alice Hoffman's books. They are easy and light, which makes for fun summer reading. Our book club has chosen for our August read

The Night Circus

by Erin Morgenstern. I look forward to reading this too. There are so many books out there, we can't read them all. However, I would like to hear from you about your favorite book(s). I would like to put reader reviews in books so that someone looking for a great book can read another's comments. If you would like to do this, please e-mail me at patti@lucysbooks.net with your review. Of course names will not be revealed. Well, I guess I'd better do some "grandmotherly" things, like bake some cookies and prepare a dinner for tomorrow's arrival of the grand-boys. I'm so excited to see them! Have a joyous and safe July and August.

JULY EVENTS

LUCY’S BOOKS presents

July Calendar of Events

At Lucy’s Books

Sunday, July 8^th  -beginning at 12:00p.m. A signing by Northwest Author Kristi Athens’s book Get Your Pitchfork On!  This informative book gives you the practical tools you need to realize your own dreams of getting away from it all, with the basics of home, farm, and hearth. The book also enters territory that others avoid—straightforward advice about the social aspects of country living, from health care to schools to small-town politics. Check out her website at www.getyourpitchforkon.com.

Saturday Art Walk July 14^th –beginning at 1:00p.m.- Northwest Poet and Author Joseph Green will be signing and reading from his new chapbook, That Thread Still Connecting Us. Joseph is from Longview Washington, where he taught English at Lower Columbia for nearly 25 years. His poems have been published in Bellingham Review, Crab Creek Review and more.  Check out his website at www.poetry.us.com/josephgreen.

ALSO on the 14^th

Intuitive Counselor Catherine Al-Meten will be doing readings from 5p.m.-8p.m. is the Founder and Presidentat Northwest Creative Outreach, Astoria Center for the Arts and Professor of Comparative Religious and Spiritual Traditions at Clackamas Community College/SFTS, Instructor of Theology at Marylhurst University and Clackamas Community College. Executive Director, Center for Spirituality & Lay Ministryat Sacred Heart University, and a freelance Writer at Examiner.com

Sunday, July 22^nd-beginning at 12:00p.m. Local Seaside Author Honey Perkel will be signing her latest book, Secrets at the Cove, the second in her A Thousand Summers trilogy. Honey is currently working on the third novel, A Place Called Paradise. Check out her site at honeybooks@frontier.com.

Eat, Paint, Connect
Nutritional Health Coach Emily Butler and Artist Cindy McGonagle are sharing foods that help you stay creatively focused and an art experience painting with the spirits of Georgia O'Keeffe and Monet.
Sunday, July 22nd, 11:30-3 pm
Tolovana Arts Colony3779 S. Hemlock St, Cannon Beach, OR
$44
contact; cindymcgonagle.com, 503 531 2758

Brie Mathews

It is with extreme sadness to announce that Brie Mathews didn't make it through. She passed away June 11th. 
Brie was such a fun and loving person.  I got so tickled when she told a story about one of her cats or her dog, Archie, because Brie got so animated. I always laughed before she even began. Although I didn't know her long, maybe 7 months, I loved her spirit and thirst for books. Brie will be missed greatly in this community.

Brie's Progress

Hello All from Japan...I just got great news via e-mail from Laura Snyder that Brie is doing well after receiving her new liver and heart. Brian, her husband said: Brie is doing well. If she continues to progress over night the plan is to take out the right ventricular assist device and get her closed up. She still has a long road but all of her numbers are good and the heart is beating strong. I can't say enough about the staff here at St. Luke's. This would not been possible anywhere else. From Laura: Great news after several days of very complicated, scary stuff. Keep sending positive energy. So please, however you send your prayers and/or positive energy, let's send as much as we can Brie's way, with a bit going to Brian too. I can't imagine the stress and worry he's been going through. And thanks to Laura for keeping the Brie Updates. Brie, I send you my love. Patti

Brie Mathews

Hi All, I know I said you wouldn't hear from me until July, but I felt it very necessary to post this letter written by previous owner Laura Snyder. Brie Mathews Transplant Fund by Laura Snyder on Friday, May 18, 2012 at 1:56pm Dear Friend,  What if you were living on borrowed time?           For Brie Mathews, being healthy is a luxury she would love to enjoy. She was born with a heart condition that required three open heart surgeries when she was 12. Even with her longtime health issues, she lived a relatively normal life until she became extremely ill in 2010. She is now battling congestive heart and liver failure, and doctors say a heart/liver transplant is critical to her survival.Now she spends nearly all of her time in bed, too sick and weak to do the simplest tasks.             Despite these challenges, Brie loves life and refuses to take even one day for granted. She is grateful for the love and support of her husband, Brian, and their family and friends, who mean so much to them both. She looks forward to the transplant that could give her back the active, independent lifestyle she once enjoyed. She hopes to one day resume her favorite activities of gardening, photography, hiking, reading, camping and enjoying nature. But right now, she needs your help. Unfortunately, Brie’s hope for a new life will come at a very high price. A heart/liver transplant could cost more than $1 million. And that’s only the beginning. Even with health insurance, she’ll still face significant expenses for follow-up care and daily anti-rejection medications for the rest of her life. Post-transplant medications can be very costly, and they are as critical to her survival as the transplant itself. To receive medical care while awaiting her transplant, Brie and Brian have temporarily relocated from Oregon to Texas, incurring substantial expenses for travel, food and lodging. For seven years, Brie loved working at a bookstore on the Oregon coast, but her declining health forced her to stop working. Not only does this add to her financial strain, but she really misses the customers and diving into new books. What if your life depended on the compassion and generosity of others? The National Foundation for Transplants (NFT) is working with volunteers and supporters to help relieve Brie’s growing burden of expenses. NFT has been assisting transplant patients with fundraising support for 29 years. Your gift—of $25, $50, $100 or more—will enable NFT to provide Brie with the financial support she desperately needs. You can help by visiting http://patients.transplants.org/briemathews to make a tax-deductible donation to NFT in her honor. Like · · Share Laura Snyder http://patients.transplants.org/briemathews to donate! It is secure and only takes a minute to donate.

National Foundation for Transplants - General Donation patients.transplants.org Use this page to see campaign donations. View all totals and watch them grow to ...See More

Another Scheduled Reading

Okay, so here's the deal...I was trying to edit the May/June letter and couldn't for the life of me find the edit button, therefore I had to add this information separately.

We had a good deal of interest in Dr. Catherine Al-Meten that we decided to have her again to do readings Sunday, May 20 from 11:00a.m.-3:00 p.m. at Lucy's Books.

Dr. Al-Meten is warm, kind, friendly, and very knowledgeable, which will put any anxieties to rest. Drop in or call Lucy's and schedule a time that's convenient for you!

May/June

I had written this three times, this is the fourth. If I lose this into cyber space yet AGAIN, the next blogg will be after I get back from Japan which is reason number one in combining two months. The other is that no matter how hard I try to make time at the store to write, something always takes precedent. How's that for sounding professional? Well, as I said above, we will go to Japan to join our youngest son, Andrew, and his wife, Ai, in their wedding ceremony. Yes, they are already married...it seems in Japan, to get hitched all you have to do is apply to the government and it is so. The ceremony will be a "Western" wedding, Japanese style. Weddings are expensive and Japan is no different. Ten thousand dollars will get you a pretty nice ceremony being that the average price going for these events is around thirty thousand. Yes, that's right. Andrew said that ten thousand was the best price. And custom there is that everyone gives a monetary gift of 300,000 yen, or $300, to the happy couple. Most of the wedding paid for! Our other son, Samuel, and our daughter, Nicole, will join us there. This is the first time in four years that we will all be together. I'm looking forward to that! Summer seems to be the time for relaxing with a fun book. Here are some suggestions: NON-FICTION: Turn Right at MACHU PICHU by Mark Adams. A man, a mountain, a rediscovery. Wild by Cheryl Strayed. A woman, a trail, 1,100 miles. FICTION: A Year On Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball. Three women, a farm, funny results! Weird Sisters by Elenore Brown. Three sisters, a family home, life experiences. EVENTS for MAY at LUCY'S BOOKS: Intuitive Catherine Al-Meten will be giving readings from 4:00p.m.-9:00p.m. at Lucy's Books, 348 12th Street, Astoria. Call to find out pricing and to reserve a time OR just walk in. 503-325-4210. See you in July!

It's March!

Wow, how the time flies. And I totally blanked out on February. I tell you, those two readings in February were back-to-back and extremely exhausting. It is always a worry when you plan these events; you stress about if people will show up, and if they do, will it be two, three, five...any? Then you worry about the expectations of the author and did you meet them? So, February was definitely a learning experience, one that moves me up that good ol' learning curve a bit more.

Again, I am so appreciative of this community and their support. Through these slow months they still come in to Lucy's Books. Sadly, my wonderful employee has to move away so I am on my own here ordering books (she did most all of the ordering) and hoping I am meeting most of the tastes of the customers.

March has come in like a lion, I wonder if it'll go out like a lamb? The weather today has been wild...hail, rain, more hail, then hail again, now broken blue skies. What a roller coaster of precipitation.

This is the time of elections...the campaigning has begun. Now we have to pay attention to candidates and their policies (this is my reminder, really). I wish the "Occupy" had stronger roots so we could have made a difference in the Government. Don't get me wrong, I am not one to overthrow those who govern, but when will we get the "Honest Abe" person(s) in office? I know talking politics is a very sensitive issue and I don't want to offend anyone reading this. We have to weigh the good with the bad then make our best choice.

PLEASE NOTICE THE CHANGE OF TIME FOR KRISHNA IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS:
Events for this month:
March 30, 2012 @ Lucy's Books from 7:00p.m.-8:00p.m., Scott Teitsworth's reading and signing of his new book Krishna in the Sky with Diamonds
which will be very interesting and informative. Call Lucy's Books for more information at 503-325-4210.

January News

And January is halfway over. How about that? I thought the older you got, the slower the days. NOT TRUE. The two truisms: death and taxes. So, live on even if the days fly past. And taxes, well, there you are.

After Christmas the store seems empty (of customers) but not books. I'm stocking up on gardening books (for both adults and children) and bird and nature logs for kids. Got to get ready for spring...it's time to plan the garden, plot the plans out on paper, and dream of the bounty that will come at the end of summer! Until then, while those little seeds are warming up and growing, it's time to take the children or grandchildren out to watch those flighty feathery friends. Record what you hear and see, look through the binoculars; observation is another way to teach ourselves to just be still. Remember: make sure the books are indigenous to your area.

Some books that I have in the store for such gardening and birding events are:

GARDENING
Gardening for a Lifetime: How to Garden Wiser as You Grow Older by Sydney Eddison

The Pruning Answer Book by Lewis Hill & Penelope O'Sullivan

Gaia's Garden by Chelsea Green

The $64 Tomato by William Alexander. This memoir is about a man who was on a quest for a perfect garden, and the cost to grow one of his Brandywine tomatoes.

It's a Long Road to a Tomato by Keith Stewart. This gardening, nature book is about how a man quit the big city for the life of organic farming.

For Children:
Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots by Sharon Lovejoy. this is a gardening book for parents and children.

BIRDING
Again, remember these books are recommended for Oregon and Washington. You can order these specific for your region.

Lone Pine puts out a beautifully illustrated book Birds of Oregon by Roger Burrows & Jeff Gilligan

The National Geographic Field Guide to Birds edited by Jonathan Alderfer.

Audubon Pocket Backyard Birdwatch by Stephen Kress

For Children:
Beginning Birdwatcher's Book by Sy Barlowe. This is a Dover Children's activity book that includes stickers of birds, facts about their habitat, eating habits, bird size, and more.

So, getting ready for spring will be a fun read.

Now, events coming up:

January 26, 7:00 p.m.- at Lucy's Books -this is the first night of Lucy's Books book club. We are reading A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka.

February 9, 6:00-8:00 p.m.- at Lucy's Books - a book signing by Charly Heavenrich. His book Unimagined Gifts will be the focus. Charly is a Master Storyteller, Personal Life Coach, and Expert on Change Management. He has quite the career going so check out his website www.charlyheavenrich.com.

February 11, 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Lucy's Books - a book signing evening with Northwest author Richard Powers who wrote The Astoria Chinatwon Conspiracy. The evening will also include discussion on the writing and publishing of his novel.

March 30 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Lucy's Books- an evening with Scott Teisworth and his discussion and signing of his book Krishna in the Sky with Diamonds More to come about this in the February newsletter.

I want to thank Kayla Sewell for her tender and sweet note. Yeah, it brought tears to my eyes. If it had'nt been for students like her, I would have quit teaching long ago. Kayla, come visit me when you are in town!